Chapter 142: Chapter 141 [end]

Chapter 141

No, wait!

Come to think of it, he was truly a child compared to her. He was six years younger! And had acted so immaturely multiple times already.

His jealousy for her marriage with Enon, his arrogance when he spoke to her, his aggressive tone when he talked as her brother-in-law… It was as if he was a little boy who bullied a certain girl because he liked her.

Didn’t he drag her many times to bed, because he didn’t know how to properly express his love for her and could only show it through his body.

Now that I think about it, all of his actions were truly childish.

Adele, after making a surprising discovery, struggled to contain her laughter and stroked him with both hands. She smiled and said in a soft voice, “Um, Noah.”

“Yes?”

“You are kind of cute.”

He felt like his ears deceived him, “…what?”

Noah wiggled his eyebrows at the compliment even though he couldn’t understand where exactly it came from.

Adele just smirked and gave him a hug. Noah was flustered, but he had no choice but to gently pat her back.

***

“Madam, a letter has come for you.”

The Countess Arsene turned her head as the maid put a letter on the table. The envelope was written in a familiar typeface.

“It is from the Duchess.”

She nodded imperceptibly. With a dry cough, she beckoned the maid to leave.

As the door closed, the Countess took hold of the letter and used a knife to open the sealing wax.

「Countess Arsene,

May this letter find you well.

This is the first time I am writing to you. My concern is none other than the tea party I shall host as the Duchess next Thursday.

As the first gathering that I will hold, my preparations might still be sorely lacking had I been alone. But with the countess’s advice, I am confident that this event will be successful and for that, I shall always be grateful to you and for the unprejudiced guidance that you give me.

Since it is a special occasion, I plan to give a small gift to everyone who participated as a token of my gratitude.

Please, do come. It is my sincerest request that you grace the halls with your presence.

That is all, and I wish you the best of health.

P.S. Thank you for the advice you have given me during our most recent meeting. It was very… insightful.

Adellia Noah Maktus」

“Advice?” The countess was a little perplexed, but then she suddenly thought of something, “Ah… was it about that?”

Countess Arsene smiled as she remembered their topic during the ladies’ night teatime. Frankly speaking, she could not have imagined that the somewhat docile duchess would have a daring side to her and praise her cold-blooded duke of a husband.

But seeing that she included it in her letter, it appears that her attempt was successful.

But what about giving gifts to everyone who attends the party?

The countess remembered that the duke had bought dozens of chests filled with jewelries and trinkets, all of them just for his little wife.

Even the emperor wouldn’t be that generous to his empress. Does this mean, the duke really loves her then? How did Lady Maktus manage to tame him?

“You are mightier than you look, Lady Maktus.”

She could not help but voice out.

If the duchess had not lived in the South during her maiden years, she would have been the countess’s chosen disciple. If Adele had been under her tutelage back then and had met the duke afterwards, she would’ve been able to handle the irascible man with ease.

Just the perfect amount of sass and class, that duke would’ve married a handful.

Unfortunately, the chance never presented itself. Countess Arsene knew a lot about Adele and had been particularly updated about the events of her life back then.

Countess Arsene smiled sweetly. However, that smile was about to be wiped off her face in a few seconds.

The door burst open.

“Mother!”

Her smile turned into a glower, “To think that the next count does not even know the most basic of etiquettes? How can you barge into your mother’s office without even knocking?!”

She furrowed her eyebrows and stared down at her son. However, her eldest son was a bit hardy himself, having already been accustomed to his mother’s nagging and spoke excitedly, “Are you close with Duchess Maktus?”

The countess raised a delicate brow.

“Why do you ask?”

He grinned, “I have heard that the duchess will host a tea party for the first time ever! Have you received an invitation yet?”

Then the snotty brat peeked behind her, at the letter on his mother’s table.

“Speak directly, what do you want?”

“Ah, that is…” he fidgeted with his fingers, “Can I get two—no—three invitations?”

At his preposterous request, the countess did not answer. Her ignorant eldest son could only count his numbers with his fingers.

“There were ladies at my academy who asked me for those tea party invitations.”

“Why would they?”

“It is the elusive duchess’s first organized gathering after all. Another thing to note is that…” The boy pursed his lips, “Isn’t it because you are the woman who is now the center of the ladies’ social circle? A lot of ladies would be lining up for the chance to look good in front of you.”

“Ha…. Why are you getting it…”

Countess Arsene sighed and touched her forehead. At this point, her eldest son was just ranting to get to her good side.

She looked at the face of her pathetic eldest son and lamented.

She won’t be able to get a daughter-in-law exactly like the Duchess Maktus in this lifetime, but she’ll definitely do her best to introduce a wife to her son who could be half as much as her.

-END-